Villeneuve Picks 2025's Top F1 Rookies, Excludes Antonelli

1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has named his top three rookies of the 2025 season, highlighting the impressive performances of Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, and Oliver Bearman while notably excluding Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli from his shortlist. Villeneuve's assessment, which evolved throughout the year, focused on drivers outside the top teams, arguing that Antonelli's performance in a competitive Mercedes is not directly comparable to the others.

Why it matters:

A respected champion's perspective on rookie performance offers a unique benchmark beyond raw statistics, focusing on development, racecraft, and the challenge of competing in midfield machinery. Villeneuve's exclusion of Antonelli underscores the long-standing debate in F1 about how to fairly evaluate drivers in vastly different cars, placing greater emphasis on the achievements of those fighting further down the grid.

The details:

• Villeneuve's final trio consisted of Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Isack Hadjar (RB), and Oliver Bearman (Haas), stating it was "a tough one" and his opinion "kept switching between those three."
• He explicitly excluded Kimi Antonelli, reasoning, "Antonelli is in a Mercedes, so you can't compare him to the other three drivers. You can only compare him to his teammate."
• On Bortoleto: Villeneuve praised the Brazilian's development curve, noting he started slowly, learned from teammate Nico Hulkenberg, and kept improving, showing "a lot of potential" despite some late-season mistakes.
• On Hadjar: The Canadian described the Red Bull junior as "hit or miss," capable of "crazy – very Red Bull style – very aggressive races" but also having quieter weekends.
• On Bearman: Villeneuve was particularly impressed with the Haas driver's racecraft and spatial awareness, highlighting his ability to read races and secure "amazing results" alongside an experienced teammate after an initial dip in form.

The big picture:

Villeneuve's analysis shifts the rookie-of-the-year conversation away from pure points or podiums—metrics often dominated by drivers in top cars—and toward growth, adaptability, and raw skill demonstrated in more challenging circumstances. It reinforces the idea that a driver's first season is as much about learning and proving long-term potential as it is about immediate results, a nuance often lost in headline standings.

What's next:

The debate over the season's top rookie will continue as teams finalize their 2026 lineups and these young drivers enter their crucial second year. For Bortoleto, Hadjar, and Bearman, the challenge will be to build on their promising foundations and establish themselves as consistent points scorers. For Antonelli, the pressure will be to justify his seat at Mercedes by closing the gap to teammate George Russell and converting the car's inherent performance into standout results.